Linda Murphy

See also: Featured Student Featured Business Partner Past Featured Educators Summer 2011 Fall 2010 Winter 2009 Summer 2009 Spring 2009 Winter 2008 Fall 2008

Linda Murphy, Administrative Director of Connellsville Area Career and Technology Center, works with The Challenge Program to help students achieve success. She has been involved in career and technical education for 28 years. CACTC is part of the Connellsville Area School District and provides 14 technical programs and core academic courses to high school sophomores, juniors and seniors.

The Challenge Program (TCP) partners with businesses to motivate high school students to excel both in and out of the classroom. TCP awards 4 students from the sophomore, junior and senior classes for the following categories: Attendance, Academic Improvement, Academic Achievement and Community Service. Ms. Murphy believes The Challenge Program helps to motivate students by giving each student a specific, attainable goal.

“Attendance is my favorite category because it’s the easiest to achieve,” said Murphy. If you don’t make the effort to come to school, you miss out on what could have been learned that day. That time can never be made up. Students who come to school will most likely be better students. By attending regularly, students form habits that make a good worker. They all go hand in hand.”

She also says that the best part of the program is seeing and hearing students get excited over their classmates being rewarded for achieving their goals. She notices students setting goals early in the school year because they know they have an equal chance to be rewarded.

CACTC is sponsored this year by Williams, an Oklahoma-based natural gas company with expanding operations in the Marcellus Shale. Shannon Griffin, an Operations Supervisor from Williams’ local office, spoke to the school during the “kickoff” presentation. He expressed the importance of giving back to the community, grades, attendance and reaching goals. He also discussed job opportunities within the gas and oil industry in this region that are available to those who work hard.

Following TCP’s kick-off assembly held this past fall, Murphy met with Griffin to discuss partnering with the school. Williams agreed to donate pipes for students to practice welding on. Additionally, one of Williams’ welders went to the school to demonstrate techniques with the welding instructor. Other Williams employees have met with Electronics and Computer Networking students to discuss opportunities in the gas and oil industry.

Murphy has been more than helpful to not only her students, but also with TCP’s mission. She even opened the school and assembled a group of students to put together a holiday greeting video of thanks to send to TCP’s sponsors. She is an example of someone who truly cares about the education and success of her students.

The message she would like to stress to students is: “It’s not about just reaching a goal or gaining a reward at the end. The habits that are formed and the journey to reach those goals is really what it’s all about.”